The Bill was approved in principle by 64 votes to five, with 57 abstentions.

Mr MacAskill drew audible gasps and shakes of the head, some from his own backbenchers, when he said opponents had united against the move because of their pro-UK beliefs.

Summing up the debate, he said: “Let me deal more with the matters now that have been raised.

“First of all, obviously the charge here has been dealt with by the Conservative Party supported by their helpers, as is becoming the norm, in the Labour and Liberal Democrat Party.

“We know that the Better Together campaign extends beyond the constitutional remit that also extends itself to dealing on other particular aspects.”

We know that the Better Together campaign extends beyond the constitutional remit that also extends itself to dealing on other particular aspects

Kenny MacAskill

He added: “It is the norm for the Conservative Party. But for the Labour Party, which for so many years, especially under Johann Lamont, prided itself on its commitment to tacklingdomestic abuse, addressing sexual offences and the issues relating to that, Labour has sold its soul and is in danger of selling out the victims of crime.”

Earlier, Mr MacAskill said a group chaired by former High Court judge Lord Bonomy would consider what safeguards would be needed if the change was passed.

He told MSPs that the change would not be implemented until parliament had considered the review’s recommendations. However Labour justice spokesman Graeme Pearson, a former senior police officer, said that asking to pass the proposals before the review was to “ask members to write a blank cheque with the promise they will receive the goods later”.

Ms Mitchell last night said: “A bad decision has been made in the Scottish Parliament due to the ruthless whipping of SNP votes.

“This is a sad day for the Scottish Parliament, and I still can’t understand how the Scottish Government could go ahead with this in the face of such strong opposition. It was a grave mistake of Kenny MacAskill to take the tone he did.It was the most disgraceful closing speech I have ever heard from a Cabinet Secretary.”

Lib Dem Justice spokeswoman Alison McInnes said: “Kenny MacAskill may have won the vote, but he lost the plot.

“In the face of unprecedented and principled opposition in parliament, the Justice Secretary sank to casting unpleasant jibes and inappropriate slurs.”

The Bill still faces two further stages of parliamentary scrutiny before becoming law.